1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to traps for animals and especially small animals such as chipmunks and the like. More specifically, the invention relates to a live trap including a novel bait holding mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Live traps for animals are well known and generally comprise a trap housing and at least one door which, in a first, set position, allows an animal to enter the trap housing and, in a second, closed position, closes the housing to prevent an animal from leaving the housing. Many door closing mechanisms are disclosed in the prior art and they generally rely on gravity to move the door from the first position to the second position, although spring closure mechanisms are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,892,423 and 2,524,504.
In addition to the patents listed above, during a search of the prior art, the following U.S. Pat. Nos. were noted: 1,421,298; 1,654,434; 2,268,468; 2,447,147; 2,478,605; 2,541,681; 2,551,903; 2,752,722; 3,113,395; 3,394,487; 3,483,652; 4,080,749; 4,162,588; 4,310,984; 4,546,568; 4,583,317; 4,590,704; 4,682,440; 4,682,441; and 4,706,406.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,984 (Brubaker, Jr.) discloses a rodent trap with a bait hook which is suspended within the housing of the trap, near a rear end closure of the trap. Baiting of the bait hook is carried out by opening the rear end closure and baiting the bait hook while it is inside the trap housing.
Generally, trap housings are sized to accommodate the size of the animal to be trapped. In the case of traps designed for chipmunks, mice and other small critters, the trap housings are usually oversized in order to permit baiting of the trap because a trap housing sized for a chipmunk would be too small to accommodate an adult hand. In traps where bait is to be suspended on a bait stick positioned inside the trap housing, baiting is, nonetheless, difficult. The trap disclosed in Brubaker, Jr. has a trap door at one end of the trap housing and a rear end closure at the other end of the trap housing. The rear end closure is removable so that baiting of the bait hook, which remains inside the housing, is facilitated.